Combined phone/broadband/mobile contract. Any recommendations?

[wilbobob]

I've been asked to investigate the above for a friend. At first sight it looks like the only options are BT, Virgin, PlusNet (who she currently uses) Talk Talk ( who she has used and still wakes up screaming about). Are there others I don't know about?
I suspect that the best option is to continue with PlusNet. She has been with them for longer than the original contract term, so presumably could start a fresh contract including a sim-only mobile.
Any thoughts would be welcome

[Itsallaguess]

I've been asked to investigate the above for a friend. At first sight it looks like the only options are BT, Virgin, PlusNet (who she currently uses) Talk Talk ( who she has used and still wakes up screaming about). Are there others I don't know about?

I suspect that the best option is to continue with PlusNet. She has been with them for longer than the original contract term, so presumably could start a fresh contract including a sim-only mobile.

Any thoughts would be welcome

I moved from having line-rental with BT, with broadband (when it worked...) supplied by Talk Talk, and now have both my phone-line and broadband package (just the basic one, not fibre...) with PlusNet.

The move went very smoothly, my regular broadband drop-out issues disappeared overnight, and the cost of my overall yearly bills dropped by quite a margin.

I realise that these services cause issues for many people, from all providers generally, but personally all I can say is that I couldn't be happier with my current combined PlusNet package.

I've no experience on the mobile side of things, as we tend to use GiffGaff PAYG for that in our house.

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[wilbobob]

Thanks itsallaguess. I know she's had no problems at all with PlusNet so I'll find it hard to suggest she moves away. Especially as I'll end up doing the support thing. She's non technical and English is a second language with only approximate pronounciation. Nevertheless having been asked I can't not do the research

[todthedog]

We have combined phone and broadband with Plusnet, to date first class when we had need customer service was excellent. Mrs T has a mobile with them no problems.
My mobile is a PAYG with 3 chosen because I put £10 on and it never expires. After a year still £8 remaining!

Talk Talk as far as I am concerned the spawn of the devil

[UncleEbenezer]

If you listed those four providers with no history, I'd have no hesitation recommending plusnet from the list.

Plusnet - many years as a mostly-satisfied customer.
Virgin - five years foolishly paying them. Four years of that also paying for a 4G connection from EE, because the Virgin was too unreliable, and have a kafkaesque system to prevent customers contacting them with a problem. Barge pole is totally inadequate protection.
Talktalk - the reputation would warn me off.
BT - neither good nor bad experience, though Plusnet and EE are both now owned by them, and are companies I'm mostly happy with.

[UncleEbenezer]

BT - neither good nor bad experience, though Plusnet and EE are both now owned by them, and are companies I'm mostly happy with.

I tell a lie. Many years as BT customer for landline. And one occasion (exactly nine years ago) it died and I had to contact their customer support: Dialled 150 from a call box (because I had no idea how to contact BT from my mobile), and got a long series of menus with no human involved. But unlike Virgin, that actually took me somewhere, and ended in a promise of a fix within 24 hours, and an actual fix within much less than that.

[supremetwo]

I've been asked to investigate the above for a friend. At first sight it looks like the only options are BT, Virgin, PlusNet (who she currently uses) Talk Talk ( who she has used and still wakes up screaming about). Are there others I don't know about?
I suspect that the best option is to continue with PlusNet. She has been with them for longer than the original contract term, so presumably could start a fresh contract including a sim-only mobile.
Any thoughts would be welcome

Have a look at Sky.
http://www.sky.com/shop

I cannot fault their service, unlimited fibre broadband and landline (which includes calls to mobiles).

They have only recent entered mobile offers, but maybe that package is also competitive to try and attract custom.

Cashback via quidco or topcashback will pay for the setup fee.

[mc2fool]

Talktalk - the reputation would warn me off.

IME the reputation is worse than the reality. The trick for support is to use their forums whenever possible, as their online staff seem to be a lot less script driven than their call centre staff, and can do/fix whatever is needed, from line problems to billing. (In the 8 years I've been with them both of the line problems I've had were Openreach matters, so would have been the same with BT & Plusnet.)

The other thing is that you can negotiate with them. Every year I call up their "loyalty" dept and umm & ahh about thinking of looking around and haggle with them on discounts to keep me on. This contract I'm getting a 20% discount on line&broadband plus unlimited UK & mobile calls for free. Dunno how much you can do that with the others...

P.S. I have phone and broadband, oh and a TT Youview box (blagged for free a couple of years back, no extras), but not mobile.

[wilbobob]

Thanks for all the information, I'll add Sky to the list to look at.

[Sussexlad]

If she's been with Plusnet for a while. just ring them, say she's thinking of leaving and what's the best deal they can offer. The only difference I have is that I moved my mobile to Giffgaff because Plusnet don't do short codes but I'm a VERY light mobile user.

[vrdiver]

If she's been with Plusnet for a while. just ring them, say she's thinking of leaving and what's the best deal they can offer. The only difference I have is that I moved my mobile to Giffgaff because Plusnet don't do short codes but I'm a VERY light mobile user.

+1
I generally look for whoever is offering the best deal and then call plusnet and ask them to match it. Saves me having to faff switching providers and Plusnet (landline, broadband and mobile) have been pain-free.

VRD